Insights for the Month of Aquarius

January 19Sun enters Aquarius: 10:10 PM EST
Mercury sextile NeptuneWe are all idealists, believing in possibility especially the kind that would bring us a better life. Aquarius is the season of ideals, of hope and the quickening of seeds in the earth. There will be lots of action in Aquarius this year when Mars goes retrograde in this sign. It looks like a time (May – September) when ideals will clash with reality of cold, hard circumstance. Are we children? Daunted because we’ll never learn to fly? Mad scientists; dedicated to progress, to outer space even at the expense of our immediate reality? Possessed by an incomprehensible greed? Or are we truly willing to participate in the rising tide which requires us to speak truth to power? Down through the ages this has always been the requirement. It’s one thing collectively; the Golden Globes were inspiring. It’s another thing when it’s an individual risking so much. Now is a good time to consider our hopes and wishes and how real they might be. Real is not the same as everlasting.The words we use to describe or frame these aspirations matter. It’s one thing to think you want to climb a mountain to make your dreams come true, another to climb that mountain so as to have a wider vision of the world below. Either aspiration is legitimate. It’s just good to know where you are coming from.

January 24Mercury conjunct PlutoMake the effort in every way possible to think sustainably and for the good of all. The widest ‘all’ you can imagine. It’s not altruistic, it’s practical.

January 25Mercury sextile JupiterAnother truth to power opportunity. You may think it’s the bee in my bonnet but it’s really the transits. Mercury says, ‘This is real’. Jupiter says, ‘lf it matters so much speak truth. Don’t hedge your bets.’ The women have had enough and it’s becoming clearer every day that it was never about sex, it was always about power. We have come to the moment when it’s really time to fix Democracy’s fatal flaw. But maybe we shouldn’t leave it up to the celebrities….

January 26Mars enters SagittariusThere will be times, while Mars, the warrior, is in Sagittarius, sign of the archer aiming the deadly arrow, when we just want to shoot. Some shoot righteously, other’s make up stories to convince themselves of the righteousness of their actions. This would be a good time to study Zen in the art of archery. Mars will run into serious road blocks till the end of February. It’s not going to be a straight shoot. The wise ones will call upon the vision of the archer but hold off on letting the arrow fly.

January 26Mercury square UranusWe used to hear about survival of the fittest, the kind of ‘might makes right’ theory of human evolution. Not any more. Now, when we are so threatened by extinction, turns out it’s always been survival of the adaptable. Where it really mattered. For inspiration regarding the process of adapting to our chaotic world of change, try this.

January 31Lunar Eclipse: Full Moon 11 degrees Leo: 8:26 AMCelebrate love and the heart that is capable of feeling it. The outcome is not the issue it’s all about the open heart. And if your heart is not open no need to pound your fist and wish it was different. Try a little tenderness toward yourself.

February 2Groundhog Day. No astrological aspects however…Groundhog Day is what’s left of Imbolc in the wider culture. This is the festival which celebrates the exact midpoint between winter solstice and spring equinox. The actual date is more like February 4th. Groundhog day is a bit along the lines of Imbolc. We all turn with silly expectation to a poor little captured beast and let him tell us if there will or won’t be harsh conditions before spring. And then we forget. It’s not enough. At the midpoint of winter we begin to notice the days getting lighter. Hope springs eternal. This is the great gift of Aquarius. The future will come. What is my expectation? Plant some seeds today. Affirm your hope for the future. Light a fire in your heart. Spring will come.

February 3Mercury sextile MarsAn excellent time to make a statement for yourself or others, about going forward. A ‘yes we can’ kind of moment in a ‘no you can’t’ kind of world.

February 4Venus square JupiterToo much of a good thing is still too much. Even things like honesty and kindness can be excessive at times. Which isn’t to say, of course, that we should be unkind or dishonest. But sometimes it’s enough to make a point: just once. If you’re feeling particularly like a ‘loser’ today it’s most likely based on trauma. Don’t buy it. Better to breathe, relax and see what comes up.

February 6Venus sextile UranusOpen yourself to wonder. It’s everywhere, but nowhere if you can’t see it.

February 10Venus enters Pisces
Sun square JupiterIn Pisces, Venus whispers of the beauty of the soul. Then there are the skeptics who don’t think we have souls. How many angels can, actually fit on the head of a pin? Did you ever figure that one out? Today’s a good day to waste some time trying to understand the ultimately incomprehensible. Great discoveries are often accompanied by awe. Not to mention frustration.

February 13Mercury square Jupiter
Sun sextile UranusJudgments are scattered like seeds; easily tossed, and no one doubts their assumptions. It’s a hard world when the leaders are so lame but there are more and more exceptions. There are an amazing number of revolutions per minute.

February 15New Moon: Eclipse: 27 degrees Aquarius: 04:05 PM EST
Mercury sextile Uranus
Venus sextile SaturnIntention matters, especially in February. Depending on where you live and whether you can or can’t travel it may be all we’ve got. This is the life, your life. Let your intention be to live it. Simple. Not always easy. If it’s a struggle look around for the sweetest encouragements: The gratitude of a stranger for something you did, something little, tender; or the moment of discipline when you got out of the way and thought turned to breath.

February 16Year of the DogChinese Astrology is not what I do but I like the idea of a year of best friends and loyal love. I daresay we’ve had enough of the Rooster…

February 17Mars square Neptune
Sun conjunct Mercury (29 degrees)
Mercury enters PiscesMuch unfinished business as we leave Aquarius. Lucky for us life is not a line. We don’t just fall off the end of one thing and wait. Life is made up of cycles within cycles. It’s art. Watch out for things that are too easy. Just wait. You won’t miss your main chance today. But too much grasping could saddle you with a pack of unnecessary trouble.